World Wrestling Entertainment presents Smackdown
Date: 5/22/2003
From: Greensboro, NC
Smackdown starts off with a video package highlighting Judgment Day where Mr. America prevailed over Roddy Piper. Zach Gowen prevented Mr. McMahon from getting involved.
Backstage, a limo arrives and the door opens before the limo parks. Vince McMahon storms out and he’s marching his way into the arena. McMahon ignores several people backstage and heads toward the ring.
Mr. McMahon makes his way out to the aisle and has a microphone. McMahon isn’t in a good mood and doesn’t want to hear any crap from the fans. McMahon hasn’t been happy since all the mistakes have been made on Smackdown. McMahon says this all started when Stephanie McMahon gave a guaranteed contract to Mr. America. McMahon knows that everyone knows Mr. America is really Hulk Hogan. McMahon notes every attempt to prove this has failed. McMahon was personally embarrassed at Judgment Day when he was assaulted by a handicap kid. McMahon announces that he’s taking over tonight. We’re going to see his finger prints all over the show tonight. McMahon promises he’ll have a big smile on his face at the end of the night.
This is the debut of the new Smackdown video package known as “I Want It All”
MATCH #1: SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS EDDIE GUERRERO & TAJIRI VS. TEAM ANGLE (HAAS & BENJAMIN)
NOTE: It is announced that Kurt Angle is returning to Smackdown in two weeks.
FINISH: Guerrero frames Haas for hitting the referee with a chair causing a disqualification to retain the titles.
Bob’s Take: Tajiri replaced an injured Chavo Guerrero for the ladder match at Judgment Day and is now teaming with Eddie since they won the titles at the PPV. The duo of Eddie and Tajiri is an intriguing one. Early on, Guerrero has control on Haas for the first substance of offense and Tajiri gets in on it with a few kicks to the back. Benjamin stops Tajiri with a back suplex and the challengers work over Tajiri until Tajiri hit a spinning heel kick on Haas. Guerrero cleans house for a good bit. Tajiri leaps off the apron with a somersault dive to the floor. Team Angle get control on Guerrero after a middle rope neckbreaker by Benjamin, which looked good. Guerrero tries to hit a frog splash, but Haas gets his knees up to stop the momentum. Haas locks in the Haas of Pain, but doesn’t get a submission. Haas prevents Guerrero from tagging out to Tajrii and the challengers focus their attack on Guerrero. Benjamin leaps over Haas onto the lower back of Guerrero. Guerrero delivers an arm drag and head scissors combo on Team Angle. Tajiri delivers a flurry of kicks to Benjamin and a handspring back elbow followed by a tornado DDT. Benjamin suffers the tarantula for a moment, but spin kicks Tajiri. Guerrero whacks the referee with a chair and tosses the chair to Haas. The referee proceeds to disqualify Team Angle. The finish is entertaining and it avoids a TV clean loss for Team Angle. They are also able to drag out a title run for a makeshift tag team. This was a very good TV tag title match and the crowd loved the action. It felt like a breath of fresh air to see this level of quality action since in recent weeks the action on Smackdown has been a little disappointing.
Match Rating: ***1/2
Backstage, Stephanie McMahon meets with Vince McMahon in the hallway. Stephanie thinks Vince is a bit out of control about the Mr. America thing. Vince assures that he is obsessed and he’s obsessed with mistakes. Vince says before the end of the night he will be out of control.
Mr. McMahon makes his way out to the ring to cut a promo. McMahon says he was disappointed at Judgment Day because it was suppose to be an execution for Mr. America. Roddy Piper was supposed to beat the living hell out of Mr. America and prove that Mr. America really is Hulk Hogan. McMahon says Piper is going to pay Mr. McMahon. McMahon calls out Roddy Piper to apologize to him.
Roddy Piper and Sean O’Haire make their way out to the ring to join the segment. McMahon wants to hear it and gets in Piper’s face. Piper apologizes to Mr. McMahon despite it being difficult for him to do it. McMahon slaps Piper. McMahon wants to see that look of hatred that Piper has in his eyes right now. Piper blocks a second slap attempt. Piper promises to rip McMahon’s throat out if he’s touched again. McMahon is ready for a fight, but O’Haire steps in between them to stop an altercation. O’Haire says nobody will gain anything from this. O’Haire takes the fall for the failure at Judgment Day. O’Haire knows they want revenge and he wants revenge, too. O’Haire wants to fight Mr. America in the ring tonight. Piper is confident that O’Haire will expose Hogan as the fraud he really is. McMahon books the match for tonight. McMahon tells Piper if O’Haire doesn’t defeat Mr. America tonight then Piper will be fired. Piper is a bit stunned to hear that development.
A video promoting Kurt Angle’s return to Smackdown in two weeks.
John Cena cuts a promo before the next match claiming that Spanky is trying to be just like him. Cena pokes fun on Spanky’s name saying he never gets a date.
MATCH #2: JOHN CENA VS. SPANKY
FINISH: Cena wins following the FU
Bob’s Take: Spanky takes the action right at Cena with a flurry of offense, but Cena shoves Spanky away and delivers a clothesline. Spanky almost wins following a kick to the back of the head, but Cena stopped the momentum with a shoulder block displaying his power advantage. That quickly transitioned into the finish, which I wasn’t expecting. Spanky had some good fire in this match, and Cena is clearly starting to really put together his act.
Match Rating: *1/2
A video package highlighting the stretcher match between Smackdown World Champion Brock Lesnar and Big Show is shown.
Backstage, FBI are in the locker room looking at the latest Smackdown Magazine. Nunzio talks about how Brock Lesnar doesn’t know who he’s wrestling out of the three. Palumbo reminds them that he has a right hand punch and Stamboli talks about his strength while thinking they’re wrestling Rock. Nunzio notes that Lesnar has never wrestled someone like him, but when he wrestles Lesnar would fight the entire crew.
Rey Mysterio comes out to join the commentary team for the next match.
MATCH #3: WWE CRUISERWEIGHT CHAMPION MATT HARDY VS. CHRIS BENOIT — NON-TITLE
FINISH: Late in the match, Rey Mysterio takes out Crash and Shannon Moore from getting involved. Benoit counters the Twist of Fate with the Crossface for the win.
Bob’s Take: Hardy has been doing a great job in the Cruiserweight division, but I don’t buy him in these kinds of matches as a serious contender. It’s as if the Cruiserweight division is ideal for him. Shannon Moore and Crash provide a distraction early on to allow Hardy to get the advantage on Benoit. Hardy delivered the Side Effect for a near fall. Hardy continued with a nice back suplex turned into a side slam. Hardy is a more than capable wrestler, there’s just something about him that I can’t buy into him being elevated up the card or working with the bigger names. Benoit begins his comeback with a snap suplex and forearm strikes. Benoit drives Hardy down with a backbreaker for a near fall and moments later Mysterio gets involved allowing Benoit to win cleanly. A basic encounter for the most part, but a solid encounter. The main focus being to promote an eventual showdown between Mysterio and Hardy.
Match Rating: **
WWE Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy grabs a microphone and he’s pissed about Mysterio costing him the match. Hardy says if Mysterio wants a shot at the title he has to beat Moore and Crash in a match right now.
MATCH #4: REY MYSTERIO VS. CRASH & SHANNON MOORE — HANDICAP MATCH
FINISH: Mysterio eliminates both Moore and Crash to win the match and is now the number one contender. After the match, Hardy attacks both Crash and Moore hitting a Side Effect and the Twist of Fate.
Bob’s Take: As expected, Moore and Crash gain the early advantage, but Moore missed a spear in the corner and crashed to the floor. Mysterio is able to fight them off rather easily at first, but can’t get much offense going. Moore sends Mysterio into the post to give his team the control. Mysterio plants them with a double DDT. Mysterio seems to have tweaked his knee at one point, and that allows Crash to keep control of the bout. Mysterio is either selling his knee incredibly well, or he’s legit hurt. Mysterio is able to deliver a 619 and a sloppy hurricanrana to eliminate Moore. Seconds later, Mysterio pins Crash with a hurricanrana. Something is up with Mysterio because the match became a bit sloppy and the pacing was completely off. If Mysterio is hurt again, I can see WWE not wanting to put him in any major programs.
Match Rating: *1/2
Backstage, Smackdown GM interviews Zach Gowen. Stephanie apologizes for what happened last week with Roddy Piper. Stephanie asks what happened to Gowen leg to cause it to be amputated. Gowen had cancer in his leg and they had to cut it off to prevent the cancer from spreading when he was eight years old. Gowen credits his mother for taking care of him. Gowen doesn’t have a father figure since he hasn’t seen him since he was four, which Stephanie chuckles at? Gowen was offered a chance with Make A Wish because of his cancer. Gowen his wish was to meet Mr. America when he was eight, but he passed on it because he knew he was going to live. Stephanie asks what goal Gowen is looking to overcome. Gowen has been training to become a professional wrestler and hopes to get a chance to work on Smackdown. Stephanie says anything can happen in the WWE. We see Mr. McMahon watching on a screen nodding his head.
Backstage, Mr. America is posing for some pictures. Mr. McMahon walks over and taunts Mr. America. McMahon says America is going to agree to a provision where if he loses tonight then next week he will submit to a lie detector test. America isn’t going to lose this week and he’s not taking a like detector. McMahon says if America doesn’t agree then Gowen’s dream of being a wrestler will be over all over the world. America agrees to the stipulation.
MATCH #5: SMACKDOWN WORLD CHAMPION BROCK LESNAR VS. JOHNNY STAMBOLI — NON-TITLE
FINISH: Chuck Palumbo saves Stamboli from taking the F5 causing the disqualification. After the match, Palumbo superkicks Lesnar. FBI beatdown Lesnar for a bit. Nunzio grabs a steel chair, but the Undertaker runs down to the ring! Taker is back! Taker cleans house taking out the FBI. The crowd erupts for Undertaker’s return. Taker big boots Palumbo over the top to the floor to finish off the FBI. Taker hands the championship to Lesnar while staring down the FBI to end the segment.
Bob’s Take: FBI attack Lesnar with a three on one attack at the start, but it ends up being Stamboli wrestling Lesnar. Lesnar whacks Stamboli with a stiff looking clothesline and a fallaway slam. Lesnar is an absolute beast of a human. Palumbo assists on the floor by sendign Lesnar into the post and delivering a clothesline. Stamboli gets some offense with a shoulder breaker, but he’s not able to keep Lesnar down. Lesnar powers Stamboli down with an one arm powerbomb. The DQ finish continues to protect the FBI, and I really don’t know why this is happening. Undertaker’s return is a good thing as he’s a main event guy that can help fill out the card and potentially have a PPV match with Lesnar instead of Big Show. Stamobli did well bumping for Lesnar, but this was a just a filler match.
Match Rating: *1/2
Sable makes her way down to the ring to cut a promo. Sable talks about being on the cover of the RAW Magazine, even though she is a Smackdown talent. Sable says the pictures inside the magazine are hot. Sable turns her attention to Tazz and heads towards the commentary table. Sable says Tazz was pretty excited about Torrie Wilson’s look at Judgment Day. Sable stands on the table and confronts Tazz about who the winner of the contest should have been since Tazz didn’t ask the fans. Sable crotches down and asks if she is sexy to Tazz. Sable asks if she should have won. Tazz doesn’t look like he’s entertaining this and Sable asks if she’s hot. Sable drinks some water and it drips down her chest. Sable thinks Tazz made a premature decision, but says premature comes naturally to Tazz. Sable dumps water on Tazz, and Tazz gets pissed off wiping water off his head and face.
Backstage, Mr. McMahon is talking with Sean O’Haire and Roddy Piper. McMahon tells them to not focus on the mask and just wants O’Haire to beat Mr. America. McMahon reminds Piper that he’d be fired if they lose. McMahon talks about the lie detector test next week and how they’ll prove that Mr. America is Hulk Hogan. McMahon says one way or the other he’s going to have a good night.
MAIN EVENT: MR. AMERICA VS. SEAN O’HAIRE — LIE DETECTOR TEST VS. PIPER’S JOB
FINISH: Late in the match, Mr. McMahon has police officers with him to arrest Zach Gowen for criminal trespass and it’s because Gowen doesn’t have a backstage pass. McMahon is also claiming assault for attacking him at Judgment Day. Mr. America is distracted by this on the floor and Gowen is arrested. The referee is counts Mr. America out. America doesn’t make it back in the ring in time. Thus, Sean O’Haire wins the match by count-out. Mr. America will have to partake in a lie detector test next week. After the match, Roddy Piper whacks America over the back with a steel chair.
Bob’s Take: This has to be the biggest match of O’Haire’s career wrestling someone like Mr. America (Hulk Hogan). America gets the advantage early on with plenty of strikes and clotheslines. Piper caused a distraction allowing O’Haire to get the advantage with a slam. O’Haire also delivers a nice kick to the chest, but America begins to get a second wind. America hits the big boot and leg drop, but Piper pulled Hogan off. This is a complete storyline progression and I didn’t hate it in that regard. I’ve been enjoying McMahon/America storyline.
Match Rating: *1/2
The show has gone off the air, but O’Haire drags America back to the ring and looks to continue his attack. America fights off Piper and O’Haire by ramming them into each other and stands tall. America lifts up his mask and reveals his face as Hulk Hogan will telling the fans to stay quiet. That’s a bit bizarre to do that.
Final Thoughts:
The show started off with a great tag title match and the rest of the show featured rather uninteresting happenings for the most part. Undertaker’s return seems a bit of an afterthought because he’s still involved with the FBI. I am interested in next weeks episode because I recall the lie detector segment being an entertaining segment. I’ll consider this week an average episode overall.
Thanks for reading.